Put Your Toes In The Perfect Beige Sand At Oman’s Jumeirah Muscat Bay

Oman wants you to pack your bags. So called the “Switzerland of the Middle East” for its diplomacy and notable safety throughout the entire country, Oman is turning up its tourism allure. Last year, Oman’s Sultan debuted 10 ambitious projects as part of its Vision 2040 plan to diversify the country’s revenue away from oil and gas in the coming years. The spectacular Jumeirah Muscat Bay luxury hotel, seemingly carved out on a private cove between the Al Hajar Mountains and the Gulf of Oman, is one such project ensuring those suitcases get packed.

I had Oman on my list to visit for years. Known for its jagged mountains (the highest in the Arabian Peninsula) and surreal deserts dotted with camels and goats, Oman is also surrounded by the skyey waters of the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman. Beyond its natural assets, Oman has an unfathomably long history with storied sagas of conquests, kings, and battles for its impeccable position as the gateway to the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. I also have a penchant for coffee, and Omani coffee or kahwa is the unofficial national drink. More notably, the country was still hugely under traveled, and my favorite destinations are often the ones few know much about.

Once Saudi Arabia opened its visas to Americans in September 2019, I got to work in dreaming up a trip to this part of the Middle East, pandemic pending. I also had Jumeirah, the luxury hotel group, on my visit list. The group’s “Stay Different” tagline enticed me, but given its limited presence mostly centered in the Middle East, I hadn’t yet had a chance to experience a property. Thankfully, the pandemic subsided, the Jumeirah Muscat Bay in Oman opened in December of 2022, and I booked a ticket straight to Oman for a visit in March of this year.

Located just 15 minutes from Muscat, Oman’s capital, the Jumeirah Muscat Bay is a rare property. One could wonder how such a picturesque setting with sweeping beige rock formations on a totally private beach cove and water as glimmering as

emeralds exists in the first place, let alone how a resort landed within in. Alas, this is the two-fold blessing of a monarch with visionary power and a natural setting with halting beauty. Things get built and done. And when done well, tourists tend to follow.

Jumeirah Muscat Bay wastes none of its incredible natural setting. All 195 rooms and suites, restaurants, spas, and ballroom have sea views. Among the room count are “summerhouses” in two and four bed options which tout another private cove, private butler, and chef. I knew I was in a mesmerizing location just from the lobby as it opens to a sweeping view of the cove and beach dotted with bright white umbrellas and palm trees. Afternoon tea from the lobby’s Tarini Lounge, especially from the outdoor balcony as the sun sets behind the mountains and cloaks the beach with orange rays, feels timeless and exotic.

Outside of sunset and sunrises from the beach or even your room, one spot shouldn’t be missed at the Jumeirah Muscat Bay. The Talise Spa, tucked over by the villas and summerhouses overlooking the additional secret cove, is a destination itself. In particular, the Pedi: Mani: Cure Studio by the internationally lauded Foot Virtuoso, Bastien Gonzalez, is a spa treatment worth booking months in advance. His studio concept, named “Best Nail Studio Brand” from the World Spa Award group for eight years and running is only found, according to the company’s website, in 25 luxury hotels around the world. As no studio exists in all of America, I was delighted to find a Pedi: Mani: Cure Studio at Jumeirah Muscat Bay. Gonzalez’s pedicures are performed by podiatrists who shave (indeed, there are drills akin to what a dentist uses) and sculpt feet and nails into uncanny appearances. After my pedicure, I thought I was looking at the feet of my 12 year old self. I didn’t know my toe nails could look so….beautiful. No wonder Gonzalez’s treatment maintain the position as “the world’s best pedicure.”

My polished toes had a perfect spot to stroll the following morning, right on the beach of the Jumeirah Muscat Bay. Pack your suitcase soon for Oman and one of its best projects yet, the Jumeirah Muscat Bay.